Colombia Attractions

Venue: San Augustín    When: Daily

San Augustín is a pre-Colombian ceremonial centre with hundreds of carved stone statues, one of the most important archaeological sites in South America.

Set in a spectacular landscape of lush mountains, valleys and rolling hills bordering the Magadalena River, San Augustín is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures on the continent. The statues originated from a civilisation that flourished from the 1st to the 8th centuries, but little is known about the purpose they served.

Ranging in height from 20 centimetres to seven metres, the sculptures depict a variety of enigmatic anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures. There are representations of human figures, smiling or frowning, snarling monsters and a variety of animals including jaguars, snakes, frogs and birds. They are spread out over an area of 500 square kilometres, but there are fantastic sites just outside town in the archeological park.

Take your time to explore and enjoy the statues. The tomb sites are linked by pathways and there are beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valley.